Mattress-tufting machine



Jan. 17, 1933. w. B. MATHEWSON MATTRESS TUFTING MACHINE Filed Feb. 8,1932 2 Sheets-Sheet lnvenTor. WilFred BMorhewson Patented Jan. 17, 1933UNITED STATES TENT OFF-ICE wi n 13. m wmwson, or

UNITED vrn'r'r RATION OF. MAINE ews wEyMoUri-r, ivr ssAc iUsEtrrs,nssreno'n. to ESS MACHINERY 00. mo, or sos'ron, MASSACHUSETTS, Aconnommsssstemm Minorities Application filed February 8, 1932. Serialno. 591,477.

This invention relates to mattress-tufting machines and has for itsgeneral object to provide a novel needle-operating mechanism by whichthe needle will be prevented from becoming injured in case it meetsabnormal resistance during its penetrating thrust.

The invention is particularly advantageous when used in tuftingso-called inner spring mattresses, this term being used to describemattresses which have springs built into the body thereof. In tuftingmattresses of this type there is always the possibility that the needlewill strike against one of the coil springs and if this occurs withmattresstufting' machines now in use such engagement of the needle withthe spring is apt to either bend the needle or break the spring or causesome otherdamage.

The present invention provides an improved form of connection betweenthe needle and the cam or other moving partby which the needle isoperated, which connection is normally operative to transmit motion fromthe cam or other moving part to the needle but which becomes inoperativefor this purpose if the needle meets undue resistance during itspenetrating thrust. p

The operative connection between the cam or other movingdevice and theneedleherein disclosed is also constructed so that if it becomesinoperative during any penetrative thrust of the needle by reason of theneedle meeting undue or abnormal resistance, said connection willautomatically become operative again duringthe portion of the cycle ofmovement of the cam or other device in which the needle has itsretractive movement so that the disrupting of the connection between thecam and the needle is momentarily only and does not involve the stoppageof the machine.

Inorder to give an understanding of the inventionI have illustrated inthe drawings a selected embodiment thereof which will now be describedafter which the novel features will be pointed out in the appendedclaims.

Fig. 1 is a side view of a mattress-tufting' machine embodying myinvention; I

Figs. 2 and 3' are fragmentary views illustrating operative connectionbetween the cam and the needle; 1

Fig. 4 is a top plan View of Fig. 2.

The mattress-tufting machine illustrated in F ig. 1 is of the type inwhich the'tufting needleis inserted upwardly through the mattress frombeneath. In said machine said tufting needle is indicate'd generally at1 and it is mounted on a needle carrier 2 which has sliding movement inways 3 carried by the base portion 4; of the frame 5 of the machine.

This frame is shown ashaving an overhanging arm 6 which carries at itsend an upper knotter '7. The base portion 4 of the ma chine carries alower knotter 8. The me tress to be tufted, which isindicated by dottedlines .9, is supported on a movable platform lOduring the tufting.operation.

In the operation of the machine the tufting needle 1 is insertedupwardly throughthe mattress as shown in Fig. 1 thereby carrying alength of cord or string 89 through the mattress, and then the upperknotter 7 operates to tie a tuft to the cord or string. The needle isthen withdrawn leaving a length of cord or string in the mattress afterwhich the lower knotter 8 v operates to tie a second tuft to the cord orstring beneath the mat tress. 1

In the tufting of so-called inner spring mattresses there is alwaysdanger that during a: penetrating thrust of the needle it will strikeagainst one of the springs within the mattress. to result either to theneedle, or to the spring, or to both, or to some other part of themachine and, as stated above, the present invention has for its objectto provide a novel needle-operating mechanism which will func tionnormally to give the needle its penetrating thrust but which will becomeinoperative for this purpose in case the needle meets undue resistance.3

In the construction herein shown the needle is given its verticaloscillatory movement means of a needle operating cam 11 which is carriedby a driven shaft 12. The: motion from the cam 11 is transmitted to theneedle carrier 2 through operative connections which are normallyoperative but which be ibo v Fig. 3. 1

come disrupted if the needle meets undue resistance during thepenetrating thrust so that the cam can continue its rotative movementwithout giving further movement to the needle. Said operativeconnections are also constructed so thatif they become disrupted byreason of the needle meeting undue resistance during its penetratingthrustthey will automatically become operative again during the portionof the rotative movement of the cam 11 by which the needle is normallyretracted from the mattress. Hence these connections automaticallybecome disrupted when the needle meets undue resistance and thenautomatically become operative again for the next. penetrating thrust ofthe needle.

The connections between the cam 11 and the needle carrier 2 herein shownare in the form of a two-part lever indicated generally at 13 which isfulcrumed on a shaft 14 carried by the base 4 of the machine. This levercomprises the main section 15 which is formed with a follower 16operating in the cam groove 17 of the cam 11 and an extension section 18which is normally connected to the main section 15 so as to movetherewith as a unit but which is adapted. to be disconnected therefromin case the needle 1 meets with undue resistance. I The extensionsection 18 is shown as pivotally mounted at one end on the shaft'll andthe other end of said section is connected to the needle carrier 2through the medium of a link 19. This extension section 18 isnormallylocked to the main section 15 but the lock is of a characterwhich will become automatically released when the needle 1 meets undueor abnormal resistance during its upward or penetrative thrust.

The device herein shown for connecting the two sections 15 and 18 of thelever 13 is in the form of a latch member 20 pivoted at 21 to thesection 18 and. provided with a notch 22 adapted to receive a roll 23carried on the.

end of the lever section 15. The latch member 20 is acted upon by aspring 24 which normally holds it in its operative locking positionshown in Fig. 2. The latch is shown as having a spring-carrying rod 25pivoted thereto the end of the rod extending through an aperture in aguide member 26 carried by the lever section'18. The spring 2 1encircles the rod 25 and is confined between the guide 26 and a collar27 which is adjustably mount ed on the rod 25 and by which the tensionof the spring can be adjusted. This rod 25 is also shown as having nuts28 screw threaded. to the free end thereof which limit the swingingmovement of the latch toward. the left Normally the two sections 15 and18 of the lever member 13 are locked together as shown in Fig. 2 byreason of the fact that the roll 23 on the end of the lever'section 15occupies the notch 22 of the latch 20 and by further reason of the factthat the latch is held in its operative position shown in Fig. 2 by thepressure of the spring 24.

The upper face 29 of the notch 22 is inclined slightly so that thelifting force of the roll 23 has a camming action which tends to swingthe latch 20 backwardly out of engagement with said roll. The spring 24,however, is so adjusted as to overcome this tendency so long as theneedle 1 meets no abnormal resistance-during its penetrative thrust. Inother words, the spring 24 will be adjusted so as to maintain the latch20 in its operative position so longas the needle 1 meets only theordinaryor normal resistance in its upward movement.

Under these circumstances the two sections 15 and 18 of the lever 13 areconnectedtogether so that they move in unison asa rigid lever and theneedle 1 isgiven its required penetrative and retractive movements.

If, however, the needle meets an abnormal resistance, such for instance,as would develop ifthe needle engaged one of the turns 30 of one of thesprings in the interior of the ma tress as showniin Fig. 3, then theincreased pressure of the roll 23 against the inclined face29 of the.notch 22 which would thus result would cause the latch 20 to be forcedUpon the return movement of the lever section 15 by which normally theneedle is given its I retractive movement the 7 roll 23 engages theinclined face 31 of thelatch and forces the latch backwardly against theaction of the spring 2 1 and subsequently snaps into the notch- 22whereby the two lever sections 18 and15 are automatically connected ofthe needle. I

l/Vhen the connections between the cam and theneedle thus becomedisrupted during any penetrative thrust then the operative will shiftthe position ofthe mattress slightly again readv for the nextpenetrative thrust so that on the nextpenetrative thrust theneedle willbe in a position sufficiently toone side of the spring with which itcontacted. at the previous penetrative thrust to permit the needle tomake its proper movement. 8

With this device, therefore, the tufting operation may be continuouslyperformed and if at any penetrative thrust the needle strikes anabnormal resistance theoperative connections between the cam. andthe'needle become momentarily disrupted so that the machine can continuethrough its tufting cycle without injury to the needle.

Before the tufting cycle is completed, however, the operativeconnections between the cam and the needle are again automaticallyestablished ready for the next penetrative thrust. There is, therefore,no necessity for stopping the machine in case the needle meets undue orabnormal resistance. All that is necessary is to merely shift themattress when the needle has been withdrawn so as to remove from thepath of the needle the obstruction which produced the abnormalresistance.

While I have illustrated herein a selected embodiment of my inventionyet I do not wish to be limited to the construction shown as anysuitable connection between the cam and the needle which willautomatically become distive when the needle meets abnormal resistance.I

2. In a mattress-tufting machine, the combination with a tufting needle,of a cam for operating the needle, operative connections between the camand the needle which remain operative so long as the needle meets onlynormal resistance during its penetrative thrust but which becomeinoperative when the needle meets abnormal resistance'during itspenetrative thrust and become operative again automatically during theretracting movement of the needle.

3. In a mattress-tufting machine, the combination with a tufting needle,of a two-part lever for actuating the needle, means to apply power foroperating the needle to one part of the lever, the other part thereofbeing connected to the needle, means normally connecting the two partstogether, 'which'means is responsive to abnormal resistance encounteredby the needle during its penetrating thrust for disconnecting said partsof the lever from each other. V a

4:. In a mattress-tufting machine, the combination with a tuftingneedle,of a two-part lever for operating said needle, a latch normallyconnecting the two parts of the lever for movement as a rigid unit, andmeans for rendering said connecting means inoperative when the needlemeets V undue resistance during its penetrative thrust.

5. In a mattress-tufting machine, the combination with a tufting needle,of a two-part lever for operating said needle, a latch normallyconnecting the two parts of the lever for movement as a rigid unit, andmeansfor rendering said connecting means inoperative when the needlemeets undue resistance during its penetrative thrust and for renderingthe. connectionv operative again during the succeeding retractivemovement of the needle. p

6. In a mattress-tufting machine, the combination with a tufting needle,of a two-part lever for operating the needle, a latch normallyconnecting said two parts of the lever so that they move in unison as aunit, and means for rendering the latch inoperative when the needlemeets abnormal resistance during its penetrative thrust.

7. In a mattress-tufting machine, the combination Witha tufting needle,of a two-part lever for operating the needle, a latch normallyconnecting said two parts of the lever so that they move in unison as aunit, and means for rendering the latch inoperative when the needlemeets abnormal resistance during its penetrative thrust, andsubsequently rendering the latch operative again WILFRED B. MATHEWS ON.

